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Canadian Pain Task Force Online Consultation

Thank you for your interest in this consultation with the Canadian Pain Task Force towards an improved approach to better understand, prevent, and manage pain in Canada. 

The online consultation is now closed, and written submissions are no longer being accepted. 

Feedback provided from the consultation will inform a report identifying best and leading practices, potential areas for improvement, and elements of an improved approach to pain management in fall 2020. 

For more information on the Task Force, please visit the following link: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/corporate/about-health-canada/public-engagement/external-advisory-bodies/canadian-pain-task-force.html  

Keep in touch with us via email at CPTF cptfsecretariatsecretariatgtcsld@canada.ca 

Sincerely, 

Canadian Pain Task Force

The Canadian Pain Task Force is leading a national consultation. Our aim is to help the Government of Canada better understand and address the needs of the millions of Canadians who live with pain.

We invite you to share your experience and ideas on this topic. Your input will shape our report to Health Canada in June 2020. At that time we will outline elements of an improved approach to pain in Canada.

This consultation will be open online from February 27 to May 29, 2020.

It will take approximately 15 to 30 minutes to complete the questionnaire, depending on how much input you would like to give. You can save your work at any point and submit your response any time before the closing date. Please note, for your input to be considered, you must click SUBMIT on the last page of the questionnaire.

We encourage you to share the questionnaire with others. Please include your family, friends and anyone else you may know who would like to improve how we address pain in Canada.

You may also wish to review the first Task Force report for background information. That report describes current strengths and weaknesses across the following themes:

We encourage you to think about any of these themes that are important to you when giving your input.

For more information about the Task Force, please visit the Canadian Pain Task Force web page: Link.

Before participating, please review the Privacy Notice. It will give you information on your privacy rights.

The Canadian Pain Task Force is leading a national consultation. Our aim is to help the Government of Canada better understand and address the needs of the millions of Canadians who live with pain.

We invite you to share your experience and ideas on this topic. Your input will shape our report to Health Canada in June 2020. At that time we will outline elements of an improved approach to pain in Canada.

This consultation will be open online from February 27 to May 29, 2020.

It will take approximately 15 to 30 minutes to complete the questionnaire, depending on how much input you would like to give. You can save your work at any point and submit your response any time before the closing date. Please note, for your input to be considered, you must click SUBMIT on the last page of the questionnaire.

We encourage you to share the questionnaire with others. Please include your family, friends and anyone else you may know who would like to improve how we address pain in Canada.

You may also wish to review the first Task Force report for background information. That report describes current strengths and weaknesses across the following themes:

We encourage you to think about any of these themes that are important to you when giving your input.

For more information about the Task Force, please visit the Canadian Pain Task Force web page: Link.

Before participating, please review the Privacy Notice. It will give you information on your privacy rights.

Tell your story

Share your personal experience with pain. 

Your personal experience is important to us. We want to know about the impact of pain on your life and/or on the lives of those you care for.

  • How has pain affected your life?
  • Please describe the pain you have experienced and/or are experiencing. 
  • What challenges have you faced?
  • What has helped you the most?

We are interested in hearing from everyone, including people living with pain, health care providers, caregivers, family and friends, and others interested in this area.

All comments submitted will be reviewed prior to posting to ensure that any content that identifies a third party or involves the use of inappropriate language/behavior will be removed. Before participating, please review the Privacy Notice.

Thank you for having the courage to share your personal experience

Your responses have been received.

If you wish, you may return to the Canadian Pain Task Force consultation page.


CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

  • I've been suffering for the last six years with chronic pain barely able to get out of my bed or off the couch my body my choice

    by vincentpezze, over 4 years ago

    There is a very large stigma on pain regarding painkillers pain management you could say even if you mention that you have pain the doctors these days will automatically look at you differently almost as though you're seeking narcotics or are some kind of junkie just looking to get a prescription and get the hell out of the office.

    Doctors and nurse practitioners need to make patients comfortable and confident when it comes to addressing pain with their doctors or nurse practitioners a lot of walking clinics in doctors offices have big signs that say we do not prescribe narcotics... Continue reading

  • Common Denomenator

    by Zazenwarrior, over 4 years ago

    Have you ever heard that the brain is like a discounting mechanism? Say for example, someone gifts you a diamond necklace and it sparkles, you open it and you love it and you are so happy, thrilled, exalted, joyful at first. Then the next day it still makes you happy but a little less so. A year later you see the diamond necklace and think "Oh that old thing." The reason why the brain discounts things is for survival. You need to be prepared for new experiences because they could signal danger. Wouldn't it be great if we could reset... Continue reading

  • Head On Collision With A Drunk Driver

    by Janetlynn, over 4 years ago

    In December of 2005, my life changed forever. While driving home from work, I was hit head on by an impaired driver. While I am grateful and lucky to be alive, my life has been plagued by chronic pain. In 2007 I was started on Fentanyl and Lyrica, started receiving nerve blocks 2 to 3 times per week as well as quarterly steroid epidurals. This was for back pain, sciatic pain and severe headaches. While physically exhausting, it helped. I was slowly able to return to a new normal.

    in 2015 I moved to be closer to family and had... Continue reading

  • Sex and Primal Screams!

    by LadyJane1968!, over 4 years ago

    At 42 after 5 months in hospital which included 12 weeks at GF Strong it was time to head home. It hadn't occurred to me that I would not get back to my normal life; that the universe would hold me back. I am a fighter, always have been.

    https://crofsblogs.typepad.com/h5n1/2011/08/canada-community-acquired-mrsa-in-a-female-athlete.html

    Nine years later, now permanent disability, I was launched into 'retirement' due to the brain injury and chronic pain. The years started with a cavernous change to my life, at times - days, weeks confined to bed wishing I were dead; angry that I survived. The only links to my... Continue reading

  • Physio with back pain

    by ajmb, over 4 years ago

    I am a 51 year old female. Work as a physiotherapist. Well versed in back care. Created the back care program for my provincial health body, all new staff of hospitals in the province had to take this course that I was a big part of creating and teaching. Have had back pain since I was 10 years old. physio as a kid did nothing. ("Watch your posture"). Disc injury at work at age 26, 6 weeks off work, largely treated myself with positioning and staying as active as possible. Back to work no problems. back pain after having 2... Continue reading

  • My Story

    by CanonShooter, over 4 years ago

    This story has been heard by many a medical professional. I've always had back and lower back pain, only as a kid be told it's "just growing pains". It never stopped when I stopped growing. My R knee became troublesome in between times. Only to be told "it's nothing, here's my an Rx for physio". Physio did nothing. Ended up having surgery. Surgery did nothing. "I don't know what's wrong" and that was that. Then, yrs later, broke my tailbone during childbirth. No treatments were ever offered. I treated myself with weekly, monthly chiropractic care and massage therapy. For years... Continue reading

  • Pain Knows No Age

    by cheeseislikelife, over 4 years ago

    I was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis when I was 7 years old. Since then I have also been diagnosed with chronic migraines and endometriosis. All of my conditions have caused me debilitating pain throughout my life and it has been challenging to be taken seriously by my peers and even by doctors, but also by myself. I entirely believed that I could not possibly be in as much pain as I was and I waited years to seek treatment for my endometriosis. I think that more knowledge about pain and encompassing alternative therapies and medications into universal healthcare would make... Continue reading

  • Canadians deserve full access to chiropractic care

    by 5825 CSL, over 4 years ago

    When I asked my mother at what age I started having severe muscle tension headaches, she couldn't give a clear answer. She wasn't sure if perhaps I'd been experiencing them long before I could verbalize how uncomfortable I was, or if I was just 'cranky like that' (thanks mom!).

    Myself, I remember having to keep chewable grape flavoured tylenol in my desk in the third grade, as my frequent trips to the nurse's office were disruptive to my education. Chiropractic care changed that. I no longer required frequent pain medication, and didn't have to worry about missing out on education... Continue reading

  • The Necessary Tools

    by lesnosing, over 4 years ago

    I have lived with chronic neuropathic facial pain since 2002. I was one of the fortunate people to get into a pain clinic in my first year with the facial pain. i was a patient there for 15 years and was once on many pharmacological treatments including three different opiods at one time. I still worked as a healthcare worker as much as I was able. I took ritalin at one time to help ward off the somnolence I had very difficult pain to manage. I used medical marijuana as well. All of this treatment but I continued to work... Continue reading

  • My life of pain

    by stingraybc, over 4 years ago

    I have grown up with constant pain for most of my life. I remember while I was very young that I would wake up screaming with pain in my feet and legs. In those days, they called it growing pains. Of course, this was not the case. When I was getting my periods the pain would have me doubled over my desk in school. Every month this would happen and I would be sent home and stay there until my period ended. I had several d an c's but it would still happen. I got pregnant when I was 21... Continue reading